A big rig fire with smoke covering all lanes of the Interstate 5 freeway in the Grapevine prompted a shutdown of the freeway in both northbound and southbound directions Wednesday.
California Highway Patrol officers responded to reports of a tractor-trailer fully on fire around 2:14 p.m. on the southbound 5 freeway near the Grapevine exit toward Los Angeles, according to Sgt. Joe Phipps with the CHP Fort Tejon Area office.
“The first units on scene reported the fire on the center divider and burning west of the freeway,” he said, adding that first responders were investigating a possible hazardous condition incident.
Due to the smoke caused by the fire, both directions of the freeway closed.
“The main concern is the fire burning west,” he said due to “loose rocks that could fall on the freeway, and they’re fighting that from the air as the semi is still burning in the area.”
There were no immediate reports of injuries, he added.
Northbound lanes reopened around 3:30 p.m. and two lanes on the southbound lanes reopened an hour later as crews continued to clear the roadway.
